Liverpool fans are signing a petition about referee Chris Kavanagh in the aftermath of Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.
Kavanagh is from Greater Manchester but is allowed by Pro Ref (formerly PGMOL) to take charge of City and United games on account of having no affiliation with either club. He is not one of the Premier League match officials currently prohibited from refereeing a particular team.
The 41-year-old, who supports non-league Droylsden FC, irked many people associated with Liverpool after sending Ryan Gravenberch off at Anfield on Sunday, including manager Andoni Iraola and club legend Jamie Carragher.
“I think the first foul of Ryan is never a yellow card, never,” Iraola said. “These kinds of games, just a stomp on the big toe, or something minor. He doesn’t even call the foul straight away.”
Carragher commented: “The first one is not a yellow card, it was so harsh. The referee was far too quick to get the yellow card out.”
City scored three goals in 13 minutes shortly after Gravenberch was dismissed. Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki all got on the scoresheet to help City maintain their perfect start to the season.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are languishing ninth in the table after winning two of their opening six fixtures.
Chris Kavanagh Petition Attracting Signatures
REUTERS/Phil Noble
Some Reds have taken their frustration out on Kavanagh by signing an online petition on change.org calling for the referee to be banned from taking charge of future Liverpool matches.
The petition argues: “Every time Chris Kavanagh referees a Liverpool match, I find myself filled with rage and frustration. Sports are meant to be a source of joy and community, but each game he referees turns a celebration into a source of distress.
“Numerous instances of questionable officiating have been noted, and the anger is palpable within the fan community. It’s not just subjective frustration; evidence from game replays often highlight these issues, with analysts and fans alike pointing out the inconsistencies.
“The English Premier League prides itself on its dedication to fair play and maintaining high officiating standards. To uphold this standard, it’s crucial to take action when a clear pattern of problematic refereeing appears to negatively impact the sport.